Newslinks for Friday 3rd August 2018

May warns Macron that it’s ‘Chequers or no deal’…

“Theresa May will today warn Emmanuel Macron that the EU faces a choice of ‘Chequers deal or no deal’ in autumn Brexit talks. The Prime Minister cut short her holiday in Italy to travel to the French president’s summer retreat Fort Bregancon in a bid to sell her controversial Chequers proposals to him. France’s hard line on Brexit is seen in London as a major stumbling block to a successful negotiation this autumn. In a major diplomatic push this week, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and Mrs May have all travelled to France to make the case for a softening of attitude. A government source last night said Mrs May’s message to Mr Macron would be: ‘It’s the Chequers deal or no deal.’ Tory sources said Mrs May would also point to the furious reaction the deal has caused in her own party, including the resignations of Boris Johnson and David Davis and warnings of a grassroots revolt.” – Daily Mail

Prime Minister ‘consigned’ to fort ‘hated by French leaders’ – The Times

…as Barclay suggests doctors could qualify more quickly post-Brexit

“Doctors could qualify more quickly after Brexit to help solve the staffing shortages in the NHS, a health minister has said. Britain’s membership of the EU means medical students have to undergo five years of training before they are registered as doctors. But after Brexit Britain will be free to set its own rules – with ministers considering options which would allow some students to qualify in less time. Stephen Barclay, a Health Minister who voted for Brexit at the referendum in 2016, said the NHS could gain advantages from leaving the EU. But patients’ groups said the proposals could threaten safety, and warned against any “dumbing down” of training. Mr Barclay told Friday’s edition of Chopper’s Brexit Podcast he wanted to see the positives from Brexit for the NHS, criticising some of the “hysteria” around the prospect of medicine shortages if the UK leaves without a deal.” – Daily Telegraph

Exports to countries without deals rise ‘three times faster’ than to EU – Daily Mail

Philip Collins: Macron needs to sort out our Brexit mess

“In the still-playing farce of Britain’s departure from the European Union, the French, masters of the genre, have the chance to take back control. Somebody needs to, because Britain has stumbled into a summer shambles. Zealots of Leave and Remain, unable to forget the blood feud that defined them, have denigrated Mrs May’s Chequers plan, which seeks to keep Britain in a single market for goods and binds us closely to the customs union while bringing free movement and British budget contributions to an end… Assailed on both sides, the Chequers plan is on life support. Ultra-Remainers have a plan but no mandate for it. No-deal Leavers have a plan but it is a disaster. It is time that Mr Macron sorted this out for us.” – The Times

Mordaunt’s high ranking in our poll picked up

“Penny Mordaunt is now Tories’ second most popular Cabinet minister in a boost to any future leadership bid. The International Development Secretary and former Splash TV show star notched up a plus 50 per cent approval in a new Conservative Home website survey. The rating puts her behind only Home Secretary Sajid Javid, another tipped to be the party’s next leader, who claimed pole with 67 per cent. Rising star eurosceptic Ms Mordaunt is the most critical member of the Cabinet of Theresa May’s softer Brexit compromise plan in private. But every single Cabinet member in the survey have seen their personal ratings fall since before the PM unveiled her Chequers plan. Former Leave campaign boss Michael Gove saw one of the biggest falls, plunging from plus 73 per cent to 39 per cent, and second to fourth.” – The Sun

One thing is clear after May: the next Tory leader can’t be a centrist – Sherelle Jacobs, Daily Telegraph

Javid ‘under pressure’ to investigate forced marriage scandal

“Sajid Javid was under growing pressure over the forced marriage visa scandal last night as the Home Office was accused of failing to protect victims. Yvette Cooper, chairwoman of the home affairs committee, wrote to the home secretary to demand an urgent review of every case where a victim had tried to block a visa for a spouse they were forced to marry but it was issued anyway. She told him that her committee had previously warned ministers about the scandal and stated that there was “considerable concern” that “little progress has been made”. The intervention came as senior MPs, campaigners and charities said the Home Office must overhaul immigration rules to make sure that victims could anonymously block visas for their abusers.” – The Times

Forces chief on ‘collision course’ with Bradley over Ulster veterans

“Britain’s forces chief has lashed out at investigations into Northern Ireland vets to say they are being “chased by people making vexatious claims”. Chief of the Defence Staff Gen Sir Nick Carter said the police probes run the risk of “undermining our combat ethos”. His outburst plunges him into a confrontation with Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley. She has refused calls to disband the probes, set to run for at least five more years, or give ageing vets immunity from prosecution. The Sun has revealed that as many as 1,000 former soldiers are to be investigated over 302 killings by the Army over 30 years of the Troubles. Sir Nick leaped to the veterans’ defence to heap praise on the “remarkable job” the Army did… Defence minister Tobias Ellwood has also broken ranks with the Government to back calls for a time limit for the probe. A consultation issued by Mrs Bradley on dealing with the legacy of the Troubles does not include provision for a statute of limitations, to the anger of many Tory MPs.” – The Sun

The FT profiles Crouch

“Crouch, 43, does not fit the stereotypical idea of a Tory MP. A football-playing, American gridiron fan, she has campaigned against fox-hunting and badger culls, to the chagrin of some colleagues. In her three years as sports minister, she has brought in a curb on fixed-odds betting terminals, in the teeth of resistance by the big bookmakers. Last year her brief expanded when she became the world’s first “loneliness minister”, appointed by Theresa May, the prime minister, to tackle “the sad reality of modern life”. While Westminster rips itself apart over Brexit, Crouch, a self-declared “one-nation Tory”, has somehow retained an almost unique neutrality over the issue. When most of the Conservative party descends on Birmingham for their annual conference this autumn, she will, as usual, skip the event.” – FT

Labour calls for an inquiry into Shapps

“Labour has called for a parliamentary inquiry into whether the former Conservative party chairman Grant Shapps correctly disclosed his interest in a role that could have earned him thousands of pounds worth of cryptocurrency tokens. Mr Shapps, the MP for Welwyn Hatfield, said on Tuesday that he was resigning as an adviser to blockchain start-up OpenBrix, after the Financial Times asked why he had listed the role as “unpaid” in the parliamentary register of members’ financial interests. OpenBrix CEO Shahad Choudhury indicated on Monday that the company had proposed paying the MP tokens expected to be worth about £170,000, assuming its planned sale of tokens to the public in a so-called “initial coin offering” — or ICO — went ahead successfully. Mr Shapps said he had listed the matter in line with advice from the House of Commons’ registrar of interests.” – FT

Corbyn’s efforts to rebuild trust with the Jewish community ‘backfire’

“Jeremy Corbyn’s attempts to build bridges with the Jewish community spectacularly backfired last night. It emerged Labour had been in talks with the Jewish Museum in north London about Mr Corbyn using the venue to make a speech today addressing the party’s anti-Semitism crisis. But amid opposition from Jewish organisations, officials at the museum last night refused the request without further reassurances about what the Labour leader planned to say. Chief executive Abigail Morris said: ‘We would want to be part of a healing process, not something that will make things worse.’ Talks were said to be continuing last night about the possibility of the museum hosting Mr Corbyn’s speech next week. However, the editor of the Jewish Chronicle, Stephen Pollard, said he had been bombarded with messages from people saying that if the Jewish Museum did host Mr Corbyn they would ‘never set foot in it again’.” – Daily Mail

Young Labour voters ‘losing faith in party leadership’ over antisemitism – Daily Telegraph

“Labour’s plan to pay a ‘universal basic income’ to every citizen would leave the poor worse off, a new report warns today. In a damning verdict, the Centre for Social Justice warns that the prohibitive cost of the radical scheme would mean payments would have to be set far lower than the amount many receive in benefits. The idea of a universal basic income has been likened to putting every adult in the country on welfare. The proposal, which has been fashionable in left-wing circles for years, would involve the State making a monthly payment to every citizen, regardless of whether they are in work or not… But the CSJ today warns no government would be able to afford to pay a basic income of more than £6,200 a year or just over £500 a month. This could cost about £400billion a year.” – Daily Mail

Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein clash over talks

“A war of words has erupted between Sinn Fein and the DUP over a proposed new round of talks to restore power-sharing. Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald yesterday accused the DUP of having a “destructive and reckless agenda” after Arlene Foster said her party’s opposition to a stand-alone Irish Language Act was “non-negotiable”. Earlier, the DUP leader said she wasn’t aware of a proposal to hold fresh talks in the autumn to restore devolution. The initiative was revealed by the Taoiseach, whom Mrs Foster accused of interfering in Northern Ireland affairs. Speaking in Londonderry yesterday, the Sinn Fein president described the DUP leader’s stance on an Irish Language Act as “disappointing”… The Sinn Fein president said she wanted to talk to the British and Irish Governments to ascertain what shape future talks would take.” – Belfast Telegraph

Campbell attacks SNP’s ‘despicable’ targeting of Kennedy

“Sir Menzies Campbell has condemned the SNP’s “despicable” campaign against the late Charles Kennedy, saying that the Nationalists’ Westminster leader must take responsibility for it. The Lib Dem grandee yesterday waded into the row over Ian Blackford’s treatment of Mr Kennedy when he defeated him in the 2015 general election. Mr Blackford, now the SNP’s Westminster leader, has been criticised for the way the campaign was conducted at a time when Mr Kennedy was battling alcoholism. Mr Kennedy died a few weeks after losing his Ross, Skye and Lochaber seat to Mr Blackford… The controversy over the SNP’s conduct in Ross, Skye and Lochaber was reignited this week when friends of Mr Kennedy took issue with comments made by Mr Blackford in a weekend interview. Mr Blackford said he was proud of the SNP’s campaign and said he respected Mr Kennedy as an “outstanding” parliamentarian.” – The Scotsman

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